Slim Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Minister on manx radio this morning, I think it was Rimmington, with the shock announcement that "60% of people earn less than the average wage!". Um, someone care to explain how averages work to the man? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Easy: its a skuewed population. How about a strange example: if Bill Gates arrives on the Island the average net worth of someone on the Island is well over $1000,000. But 99% of us have below the average net worth. In examples like this the median is a more meaningful measure: you get the median by lining up everyone on the island with the poorest person on the far left and the richest on the far right and everyone else lined up in order between and you ask the person in the middle how much he or she is worth. Obviously the statisticians and cenus people have an easier way of doing it, but you get my drift! Bill Gates arriving will hardly change the answer for the median, but will massively change the average. It makes lots of sense that there are more people under the average wage on the Island as we are skewed due to a small number of very high earning individuals. Lies, damn lies and statistics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Sounds daft but appears to be a correct statement :- 60 people earn £10 per week Total £600 40 people earn £16-50 per week Total £660 100 people Total earnings per week £1260 100 people Average pay per week £630 60% of people earn less then the average wage Pay statistics would probably make more sense if broken down in groups. ie. Less than £10K,£10-15K,etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted December 16, 2005 Author Share Posted December 16, 2005 Exactly my point. You're always going to have the majority of the population under the average wage. So hopping up and down about how unfair it is just makes him look foolish. Even if everyone earned more, the majority would still be under the average. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Slim, do you understand how averages work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sausages Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Iirc from my school days, there are 3 types of average: Mean, median, and mode. All calculated differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amadeus Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Lies, damn lies and statistics! Don't trust any statistics you haven't made up yourself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 You're always going to have the majority of the population under the average wage. No you aren't: In some countries the skew is the other way round; caused by some people being very very poor, but not many people being rich. It all depends upon the populations you are considering. I think Ans is right; someone needs to go and do some revision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Minister on manx radio this morning, I think it was Rimmington, with the shock announcement that "60% of people earn less than the average wage!". I was surprise to hear that he was surprised by it. I'd have guessed around 60% - 70% myself. Mind you, a while back a minister wanted the minimum wage raised so single mothers could earn enough to pay for full time child care so they could return to work. Of course if the child care workers also earned minimum wage then all or the working mother on minimum wage's money would go to pay for child care, leaving nothing for food, etc. Someone else, not a minister, seemed to think it would be a good idea for all of those below the average wage to be paid the average wage. Obviously they didn't think it through very well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Perhaps a look at the average IQs of MHKs might prove revealing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTool Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Maybe he feels guilty about the £9000 to £10.000 pay rise he is about to get ? When you think about it their pay rise is probably the average wage for quite a few people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumlin Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Maybe he feels guilty about the £9000 to £10.000 pay rise he is about to get ? When you think about it their pay rise is probably the average wage for quite a few people. 22.5% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted December 16, 2005 Author Share Posted December 16, 2005 Slim, do you understand how averages work? Er, yes. He's saying the majority of the population are on below average wage. If the population gets a pay rise, the majority will still be below average wage, right? Just can't work out what he's complaining about. Saying 60% of the population earn below a minimum wage is news, saying the majority fall below the average is perfectly normal in most societies surely, in particular one that's offers favourable offshore taxation for the exceedingly rich few? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 Like the other people at the top, I assumed you were just bitching because you thought it should have been 50% under and 50% over. Nevermind that, answer me in IRC you tart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxchatterbox Posted December 16, 2005 Share Posted December 16, 2005 I woul dexpect the resident kebab expert to know about skew (ers)..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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